JOLIET – Rick Mason has retired after 10 years as an associate judge in Will County.
“Rick has one of the best temperaments of any judge I’ve ever seen,” said Chief Judge Richard Schoenstedt, who once shared a law practice with Mason.
“I’ve never seen him have a bad day or get cross with anyone who came before him. He gave everybody a fair hearing. I wish we could’ve had him longer,” Schoenstedt said.
Mason was raised in Ottawa and remembered being curious about the law from a very young age. “Even in eighth grade, I made an announcement I was going to be a lawyer,” Mason said.
At 16, Mason moved to attend the Lockport Township West High School, which is now Romeoville High. After receiving a degree from Valparaiso University, he began arguing personal injury and criminal cases.
“I loved the law. I wanted to represent the innocent victim. To speak for those who didn’t have anybody,” Mason said. “And as soon as I (became) a lawyer, I always wanted to be a judge. ... As a judge I just wanted to be fair.”
Mason said he and his wife, Teresa, plan to spend more time at their property in Arizona.
Will County Assistant State’s Attorneys Derek Ewanic and Fred Harvey are the two finalists to replace Mason as an associate judge. Schoenstedt said the Illinois Supreme Court will announce in the next two weeks which candidate the circuit judges elect to fill the vacancy.